Jelly and Celibacy

We ran out of jelly today, and so it is time for our annual pilgrimage. I, deep down, do love to buy locally grown. I love to know exactly who it is that I am supporting. St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer is one of those places that you can't help but want to support. I mean come on, a bunch of lonely old guys making canned goods? Yes, you can have my money. We go there every so often and buy a box of 12 various jellies. The kids love to go in and pick out what they want. They're really good, and, plus, I kind of have a thing for monks. 

St, Joseph's abbey is truly a beautiful place. The monks bought 2300 acres of land in 1950 and landscaped much of it into little secretive corners tucked away around the monastery. The place exudes peace. Most it is off-limit to non-monks... a fact that absolutely kills me. These big red signs and gates make no doubt of where you are allowed and not. There are about 80 monks who live there. They are part of the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance. They really do make their own jelly there. In fact, the trappists only make jelly there. In fact... For a while, only two monks were responsible for making all of the jelly that came out of the place. The profits from their jelly-making brings in about half of the budget. 

I actually thought about interviewing the monk at the counter in their little store, but when I walked in it was a layperson, big let down. Still, I have been thinking of boldly announcing that I am writing a blog and asking if they wouldn't mind answering a few questions (and letting me into all of the secret, hidden away aspects of their monastery with full permission to take pictures and sneak around where ever I want). 

The inside of the chapel is so beautiful: old, gothic, full of artifacts, and some very smart monk decided to make all of the stained glass windows blue. It's like walking into midnight (sigh). If things were different I would be a monk..... I really would. 

The kids and I, on our second adventure :) walked the grounds and tried to find all of the little statues and mysterious corners of the grounds available to us. We found a tree that had definitely been struck by lightning (see pic) and a few other great places. When we went in the chapel, I told the kids that they had to be silent out of respect for the monks, which they were, and I think Nora took me very seriously. At one point, an monk emerged from a side door near us and Nora clung to me like there was no tomorrow. We waved and he waved back, and Nora relaxed. 

"Relaxed" is about THE word that I would choose to describe that place.... a sanctuary. Sometime, I am going to go for a service.... I heard they actually chant.... (sigh).

db